Never have played D&D, but was a big chess player at one time. Pretty amazing how it can really take over your life so to speak. I remember playing some weekend tournaments, and when I came home Monday, it was like I entered back into the "real world". Had literally no idea what had happened the past 3-4 days. The mental strain of these sort of games can often be overwhelming. I remember playing in a championship match, and loosing a 5 1/2hr slug fest, in a position that I had a totally winning end game, which I screwed up. I was distraught for days, if not weeks, after. I'm a pretty active person; do a lot of running, bicycling, ext, but that does not wear you down nearly like a mental game will. It really takes a lot out of you when you really get into it.

What the heck are you smokin polert? The Republicans must really be losing it when they see Dungeouns and Dragons as an Obama plot.

I spend hours trying to get my small business off the ground. But after what I seen from a meet/greet over the weekend with Obama In Ohio where a Plumber/owner operator ask Obama why Obama want to raise his taxes. Obama replied to spread the wealth. Which means take from the hard working, and give to those unwilling to work.

I say "naive" simply because if you believe that D&D fosters satanism you are simply misinformed. The books were cleaned up dramatically back in the 80s when the backlash was the strongest. D&D products are currently owned by Hasbro (through Wizards of the Coast) and I highly doubt they are fighting any lawsuits suggesting that people are falling victim to satanism because of using their products.

As with any indulgence, it can be taken too far--so if you are looking for negativity, you surely will find it if you look hard enough. I would argue that D&D is no more likely to cause delinquency in anyone that watching too much TV. In this case, I would doubt it's the TV's fault--the fault lies in the person watching. In the end, it's nothing a competent parent can't handle.
My response was simply to say that those who take it too far, or bring satanism into D&D are incredibly rare (if any), and when it happens its not the fault of the game but rather the "users". Those who play (or have played like I have) understand this, and those who don't, but still belive that D&D itself is harmful and satanic are therefore a bit "naive", in my honest opinion. They speak critically without firsthand knowledge.

I spend too much time on Digg and /.

hastyhobbit...how can you agree with me on both points and then turn around and call me naive? I agree that most people can paly, but then there are those that take it too far...as you said. I never allowed my kids to play that or the OUIJA board, why open yourself up?

I'm a huge Face-booker. I spend hours on Facebook, hours ... pathetic I know!

The people that I know that play D&D are some of the smartest people I've ever met. These are huge history buffs and it's amazing to see how a family can become very close. My kids will grow up playing and hopefully they'll teach their kids. Call us geeky if you like, we don't mind ;)

Hey - you could have wasted your time on facebook like I do! Here's to face to face interaction!

upnorthwi--
I agree with you that D&D can take over lives, but no more than online gaming or other such diversions. The game is what you make of it. As for your comment regarding satanic content--yes it can have satanic overtones, but ONLY IF the players bring that element into the game themselves. Suggesting that D&D itself is satanic or harmful is simply naive. The vast (and I mean very vast) majority of people who play the game (which obviously based on a comment like this--you are not) never delve into this area.

For anyone reasonably well adjusted and well parented--D&D is perfectly harmless. I'd rather have my teenager at a friend's house playing D&D than out partying and boozing.

Please don't give D&D a bad rap. There are many more serious issues in society than this. D&D is good clean fun 99.9% of the time.

a lot of people play that game, the only problem is that some REALLY get into it so much that it actually takes over their lives. I say wow too , but only because it can have satanic things behind it also.

and i thought i was a dork;) lol

People still play that game? On a non-digital gaming surface? Using dice instead of a pseudo random number generation algorithm? All I can say is WoW! (World of Warcraft).